Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1887-01-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.


WA.HINGroS. Jan. sth. 1887.
When congress re;~sembled after its
/ holiday vacation Of two weeks. formal
announcement was made in both ends
OF the capitol of the death Of Gen.
Logan. AS is customary, both the
senate and the house adjoubed imme-
diately as a mark of respect to his
memory. Consequently congress has
worked but three days so far this
week. and can make but poor show
! ing even for that length Of time.
Three representatives in the lower
branch of congress have not been rssn
in Washington since Gen. I.Og,n die,l
They are Illinois congressman, they
each want the place left vacant by the
dead senator. and each Is at home
Scleming and plotting to this end.
They ARE Gen. Henderson. and Mrssrs
Cannon and Payson. They are con-
sidcred strong men and good workers
10y their party in the house and the
republicans would be sorry to have
any one Of them leave the lower
branch.
Ii is n significant fact that in some
hundred messages nd letters Of con-
dolence received by Mrs. Logan upon
her husbands death. only two had
any illusions to the coiisOlatiOns Of
religion. These two exceptions nr~ by
Col. John Hay. the author Of Jim
Blulsoe. and Stephen \. Douglass.
both Of whom said MAY God comfort
and sustain you. Fifty years ago it
would have been unl,eard Of to omit
such an invocation. and a message OF
coincidence that lacked the religious
element. would have seemed mock
cry
One of the cherished pIans Of the
late Scnat or Logan was to establish
in this city an institution for the e,lu
cation of the SONS Of soldiers Of the
late war. II made no difference on
which side the father fought. General
Logan thought a soldiers son should
be furnished with an education. lie
first spoke of this plan about the time
Grant died, when in view of the pro-
posed intern,eni of his remains at the
National capital. some kind Of u me-
mortal was to he erected in honor of
him. "Why not put the money that
would he appropriated remarked
Gen. Logan. Into an institution of
iv-y.,;,'s ."j ths,.. ,o,,f,r wo,thy
tribute to Grant, am sure nothing
would have pleased him more"
Although another disposition was
made of the dead, t;en Logan did not
abandon his idea, but formulated u
plan for soldiers college. which le
intended to present during this se>-
sion of Congress. Funds for its sup
port We're tn le raised 10y an as-ess-
nent OF fifty cents Onevery member OF
the Grand Army of the Republic. and
10y having scholarships endowed by
: those who favored the project. 1t is
: probable NOW that some other states
mau will take hold oi tine matter and
reap the glory of fostering such ~
measure before congress.
Gen. Logan an senator Ednunds
had long occupied adjoining seats in
= the senate chaml~r. and a warm
friendship existed between them. ~
the time Of the funeral of Gen. Logan
it WAS thought strange that the N-r-
mont senator was absent. and some
comment was miilc upon the fact
that lac had no: even been heard from
in rrgard to his friends death. Mr..
,dmunls had gone south to spend
he holiday recess with u cunning
: party. and had gotten beyond the
reach of mail. and tc,rpans. lie did
not hear In, ticn. l.oe''n was dead
. until aft.r hr WAS burned.
I. was rather an interesting rIrc UNI
stance tha' theiir,. ,-it OF ex-S' nator
Conkllng To the seiI ,," rhamlrr since
, he resigned in 1897 r..n-l.d haN, been
to attend the .unrra' of on. who
stood 50 steadf.-,', ) him his
troubles. There vas little einua" in
A., Mr. Conkling> pIearahr to irk
the interval of imc. but IL hm at
there amid tho. familiar surround
in.- nnc could " but wonder what
b thought, wer, ,purs.in: throish hi-
inii,sl: No oiiri siX ye4I- since tlir
war ended had i'nc~-ed so many inn
portant histori "haI,se-.
: Gariicld had beet. STRICKEN down ay
he hand al an aS~lS>in. Arthur had
died oi bliahting disease. Blaine
lad bean defeated for the Presidency.
Thurman. Gorlon. Mcdonald, Ham
: lin. Pcudlei on and other senatorial
,o;enporarir. of equal fame hld had
/. retired from ..,.rvicr. lsrn Hill. Burn
side. David Davis. Mat carpenter.
inlhony AMI Logan had ALI passed to
, he other side d.. yard. Lamar. and
, Garland had been elevated To posi-
> tiun- in the cabinet. aud the govern
n.ent had gotten into the hands of
ilr democrats.